Game apparatus



y 5, 1937. w. A. TROTH 2,081,255

GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1936 INVENTOR: WALTER A. TROTH. 1 avATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1937 UNITED "STATES orricr.

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a game apparatus. An importantobject of the invention resides in the'provision of an apparatus whereingames may be played which are both entertaining and fascinating. I

Another object is to provide a specially constructed element adapted tobe rotated, or spun,

fwhereby playingpieces' associated therewith, are

rotated and come to rest in selective numbered points after the rotationof the element has subsided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide said rotatableelement with specially arranged grooves so the playing pieces may bescattered during the operation of the element, said device being furtherfeatured by the provision of means to retain said playing pieces intheir selected grooves during the operation of the rotatable element Astill further object is the production of a device of theabove-mentioned character wherein is provided a plurality of annulirotatively mounted in relation to the spinning portion thereof.

With the above objects in view and any others which may suggestthemselves from the specification and claimsto follow, a betterunderstanding of the invention may be gained by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail, slightly enlarged, showing the rotativemounting of the annuli.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing the devicemounted on a support.

Referring now more in detail to the accompanying drawing, wherein likecharacters of reference denote similar parts throughout the severalviews, 5 indicates a rotatable element, preferably circular, and havinga plurality of concentric grooves B, 1 and 8 leading in from the topsurface of said element, each groove being provided with an annulus 9,Ill and II, respectively, having a depending portion I2, l3 and i4arranged within the groove and positioned adjacent one sidewall thereof.As shown in Fig. 1 the annuli are provided with a series of notches I5,[6, and I1, each being numbered in the sequence of l23.

The central portion of said element 5 is recessed at [8 to receive ahollow knob l9, the latter being held in position by means of a spur 20which extends below the bottom surface of said element 5, whilst itsshank portion 2| is threaded to receive a nut 22, (see Fig. 2). Saidknob [9 serves as a hand-hold when the element is rotated or spun on thesupport 23, the latter having a recess 24 to receive said spur 20. Thehollow knob It) may be used as a receptacle to 5 receive articles suchas cigarettes, or the like,

whilst the circular slot 25 can hold cards or like which are used duringthe playing of the game.

notches and rides upwardly on the sloping wall 5 of the groove, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig.

3, and as the rotation'ceases, said playing pieces finally come to restin adjacent notches. In view of the barriers or beads 26, the pieces areretained in the grooves 6, l and 8. 20

In order to thoroughly scatter the several playing pieces in the seriesof concentric grooves during the rotation of the device and to add tochances of changing the combinations of the numbers on the annuli, Ipropose to provide means whereby said annuli will not only rotate inconjunction with the spinning body portion, but also will be free torotate at a slower or faster speed. That is, said annuli will not befixedly secured to said body portion but, on the contrary, may rotaterelatively thereto. To this end the upper portions of the walls betweenthe several grooves will be cut away, as indicated at 21, Fig. 3, toreceive a portion of a series of rollers 28, the said rollers beingrotatively mounted on pintles 29.

As shown in Fig. 3, the annuli will rest on these rollers and in aslightly spaced relation to the top surfaces of the walls between theconcentric grooves, and thus said annuli are free to rotate with thespinning body portion of the device, yet the speed of rotation may varyas regards the turning speed of said body portion in that said annuliare not fixed to the latter.

It will be understood that when the annuli are fixed to the body portionof the device the same rotate in conjunction therewith and the positionsor relations of the numbers of the annuli remain the same. Under thepresent arrangement the several annuli turn at different speeds as re-50 gards one another and at diiferent rates of rotations as regards thebody portion of the device. This serves to break up combinations andadds to the entertaining features of the game.

In playing the game the players select cards or sticks which arenormally positioned in the slot 25, there being twenty-four white cardsor sticks, eight bearing the number 1, eight bearing the number 2 andeight bearing the number 3. The annuli will be correspondingly numberedand will be colored white, also there will be four numbered 1, fournumbered 2 and four numbered 3, numbered in red on annuli with sticks orcards to match. The cards and the annuli will also be colored blue andthere will be two numbered 1, two numbered 2 and two numbered 3. Threecards or sticks are selected and combinations are played, the coloredhaving a higher value because there are only a few of them, since theblue offers only two possibilities of a threenumber combination, the redoffers four and the white eight. The balance of plays are neutral inblack. The cards or sticks are selected and placed in front of theplayer. For instance, if he selects 12-3 in black for which there are nospecial premiums, offers six chances to win and all other purchases atleast three chances, thus: 1 2 3; 1-32; 2-13; 23--1; 3 1 2; and 3'2-1.The rotatable element is rotated or spun and the playing pieces areremoved from the notches and during said rotation, ride up the slopingwall of the grooves by centrifugal force and as the element slows downthe pieces rest in the notches in the annulus.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable elementhaving a plurality of concentric grooves disposed in the top portionthereof, there being at least three cutaway portions adjacent the innerperiphery of each groove, a plurality of rollers mounted in said cutawayportions respectively, and annuli, each having a depending skirt portionpositioned in each of the grooves respectively and being rotativelymounted on said rollers, the skirt portion of the annulus being notchedand bearing indicia, said notches being adapted to receive a playingpiece, the outer wall of said grooves being sloped whereby a playingpiece during rotation of said element removes from a notch and ridesupwardly on said slope during said rotation, said piece descending theslope and coming to rest in a notch when the rotation of the element hassubsided.

2. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable elementhaving a plurality of concentric grooves disposed in the top portionthereof, there being at least three spaced cutaway portions adjacent theinner periphery of each groove, a plurality of rollers mounted in saidcutaway portions respectively, a plurality of annuli, each having adepending skirt portion positioned in each of the grooves respectively,and being rotatively mounted on said rollers, the skirt portion beingnotched and bearing indicia, said notches being adapted to receive aplaying piece, the outer wall of said grooves being sloped whereby aplaying piece during rotation of said element removes from a notch andrides upwardly on said slope during said rotation, said piece descendingthe slope and coming to rest in a notch when the rotation of the elementhas subsided, a knob for spinning said element, a spur extending fromthe central portion of said element and serving to secure said knob tosaid element, and a support having a recess to receive said spur whensaid element is rotated.

WALTER A. 'I'ROTH.

